Re-ranking college football teams 1-130 following spring practice

Last week’s ranking of the post-spring Top 25 for the Football Bowl Subdivision was just the beginning. With spring drills in the books and less than four months until the start of the 2018 season, let’s rank ‘em all.

No. 20 Kansas State It will be a pretty typical bunch of Wildcats: physical on offense, explosive in the running game, underrated in the front seven and opportunistic on special teams. (Coach Bill Snyder)

The USA TODAY Sports post-spring 1-130 for the entire FBS digs deep into each of conference to make an early suggestion for how things will shake out. Remember the one casting change: Idaho is moving down to the Football Championship Subdivision and Liberty is moving up. We’re still sitting at 130 teams.

Check out the post-spring Top 25 for notes on each of the nation’s projected top teams. The 1-130 will have brief thoughts on a select number of teams seemingly outside the College Football Playoff picture.

Central Florida is capable of reaching another New Year’s Six bowl under a brand-new staff. Willie Taggart isn’t known for rapid turnarounds, but Florida State has the talent to push Clemson. I might be a little too bullish on Arizona’s shot in the Pac-12 Conference South Division under Kevin Sumlin.

LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron.

36. Toledo

37. Louisville

38. Northern Illinois

39. Memphis

40. Oregon

41. LSU

42. UCLA

43. South Florida

44. Marshall

45. Boston College

46. Arkansas State

47. Fresno State

48. Houston

49. Washington State

50. Pittsburgh

LSU could win eight or nine games or finish 6-6 under Ed Orgeron. Don’t sleep on Marshall riding its defense to a Conference USA title. Look for Pittsburgh and Pat Narduzzi to make a nice rebound after a disappointing 2017.

51. Texas Tech

52. Nebraska

53. Florida

54. Navy

55. Duke

56. Missouri

57. Temple

58. North Texas

59. Wake Forest

60. Troy

61. Louisiana Tech

62. Virginia

63. Army

64. Middle Tennessee

65. Wyoming

Scott Frost will have Nebraska in the national mix, just not in 2018. The same could be said for Dan Mullen at Florida, but not until the Gators find a quarterback. Temple is experienced and stout on defense, so UCF shouldn’t look past the Owls.

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt signals for the teams to head to the locker room after the Orange and White spring game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, April 21, 2018 in Knoxville, Tenn. (C.B. Schmelter /Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)

66. Tennessee

67. Indiana

68. Southern Mississippi

69. Arkansas

70. Appalachian State

71. California

72. Georgia Tech

73. Kentucky

74. Purdue

75. Massachusetts

76. Mississippi

77. Minnesota

78. Syracuse

79. Ohio

80. Maryland

81. North Carolina

82. Baylor

83. Vanderbilt

84. Colorado State

85. Arizona State

The start of the Jeremy Pruitt era at Tennessee will be a success if it ends in the postseason. Arkansas hired a good one in Chad Morris, though he needs a year or two to get his offense going. Syracuse is overdue for a breakthrough, but I have my doubts. All eyes will be on Herm Edwards and Arizona State, if not always for reasons related to football.

86. Air Force

87. SMU

88. Utah State

89. Western Kentucky

90. Tulane

91. Brigham Young

92. Old Dominion

93. Rutgers

94. Alabama-Birmingham

95. Tulsa

96. Akron

97. Florida International

98. Buffalo

99. Colorado

100. Western Michigan

BYU’s offense can’t be worse, I think, but the schedule does the Cougars no favors. I could be underrating Rutgers, which might not make a bowl game this year under Chris Ash but definitely has a postseason trip at some point in its future. Tulsa is another team that needs to prove itself after a dreadful 2017.

101. Miami (Ohio)

102. UTSA

103. Coastal Carolina

104. New Mexico State

105. Georgia State

106. UNLV

107. Central Michigan

108. Cincinnati

109. Illinois

110. Eastern Michigan

111. Georgia Southern

112. Nevada

113. South Alabama

114. Louisiana-Monroe

115. Hawaii

Coastal Carolina will climb a few spots up the Sun Belt Conference ladder with head coach Joe Moglia’s return to the sidelines. New Mexico State might get back to six wins but won’t make any noise with its forgettable schedule. The youth movement will continue for Lovie Smith and Illinois.

116. Louisiana-Lafayette

117. Connecticut

118. Liberty

119. New Mexico

120. East Carolina

121. Kansas

122. Ball State

123. Charlotte

124. Rice

125. Oregon State

126. Bowling Green

127. Kent State

128. San Jose State

129. Texas State

130. UTEP

Things don’t look great on paper for UConn, but Randy Edsall has surprised before. Liberty isn’t eligible for the postseason as it transitions to the FBS. And UTEP starts at the bottom after ending last season as the nation’s lone winless team.